By Chiamara Anyacho
Contributing Writer
Onumba.com, Nigeria ——— Imagine going to church on a Sunday morning, only for the pastor’s wife to introduce another woman as her husband’s second wife, and her sister in marriage.
Now stop imagining. This is a real-life story that happened at LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, Ohio, in the United States, on October 25, 2026.
First wife: Lydia Ford.
Husband: Israel Ford.
Introduced who?
Shakayla Ford.
She wasted no time adopting the surname.
Well, that is expected, since during the introduction, “Pastor” Israel Ford added that his marriage to Shakayla as his second wife had been in existence for nearly three years. Apparently, this was just them letting the cat out of the bag, not announcing a marriage that was about to begin.
As expected with a controversial introduction like this, what followed was a defence of the entire situation.
Shakayla claimed they were a strong, united family and that their decision was in accordance with God’s will and guidance. She spoke about the spiritual fulfilment they experienced together and indirectly rubbed emotions in the air by addressing people who had left the church because they were not accepted due to polygamy. She told them they could return and worship God.
Israel Ford was even more shocking.
He defended his decision, arguing that the belief that a man should have only one wife is not biblical.
In his social media post, he wrote:
“As a nation we have been taught that a man should have one wife only. This is unbiblical. I encourage you to watch today’s sermon in its entirety (uploaded later this week). I understand that this is an unpopular truth that we have gotten away from, and many pastors will not preach. I have no plans to choose pleasing man over what God has revealed. People may not accept this and choose to disconnect, and that is ok! This life will be over soon and we can all laugh about it in heaven. Until then, God bless.”
One would wonder what heaven he is talking about.
Especially considering that, just a day after this announcement, his stepdaughter, Kourtney Jones, came forward with allegations about what she says happened behind closed doors with her stepfather.
Kourtney is one of Lydia Ford’s twin daughters from a previous relationship. Her twin sister is Kayce White.
According to Kourtney, she had carried the secret for six years because she was not ready to share her experience and wanted to protect her mother.
She explained that Israel and Lydia were both in previous marriages when they began dating. After dating for nine months, they eventually left those marriages and got married. Kourtney and Kayce were just 11 years old when their mother married Israel.
Kourtney alleged that the abuse began when she was around 12 years old.
She described how what initially began as inappropriate sexual behaviour progressed over the years. According to her account, when she was 15, Israel attempted to rape her. She said she fought back, screamed, and managed to escape. She alleged that the abuse continued until she was 17, when she left the house and never returned.
These are serious allegations, and they should be identified as Kourtney’s account rather than treated as a court-established finding.
But this is the same man publicly telling people what God has revealed to him.
The same man speaking about biblical truth and questioning other pastors for refusing to preach what he believes is the truth.
And now, his stepdaughter is speaking about what she says she experienced in the same household.
Interestingly, this is not the first time Israel Ford has faced a court case involving violence against a stepdaughter. Court records show that he was convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence following a 2018 incident involving his then-17-year-old stepdaughter. The conviction was upheld on appeal in 2020. That case is separate from Kourtney’s recent sexual abuse allegations.
I guess the internet was never prepared for something like this, as the takes fly everywhere.
Many pastors have taken advantage of the situation to show off photos of themselves with their ONLY wife.
For the first time in the history of craziness in the body of Christ, many people have come together to reject this doctrine and call it evil.
And now, beyond the argument about whether a man should have two wives, there are serious questions about the allegations against the man at the centre of this story.
About writer: Chiamara Anyacho is a passionate writer known for crafting compelling and impactful content. She specializes in professional writing services including CVs, Statements of Purpose, grant proposals, and scholarship essays, helping individuals present their stories with clarity and distinction. Her work spans poetry, thought provoking articles, and captivating short stories that explore human experiences and societal realities. She has received notable recognition including an Honorable Mention in the National Economic Summit Group’s Essay Competition, the Honorable Mention Award at the Literesque Prize 2026, and reaching the penultimate stage of the Pen on Fire Stages Competition.
African custom and Islam are OK with it, but is polygamy unbiblical?
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